Protective Mate (10 page)

Simon came in and hugged her from behind, pulling Zack into his arms as well.

"Hi, Daddy."

"Hey, Pumpkin. Did you have a nice nap?"

"Yep. I got ice cream," Hayley said brightly, pointing at her rather large bowl of chocolate ice cream. Hayley's smile slowly faded from her face. "Mummy's mummy and daddy are here," she said quietly. Zack's heart broke at everything his little girl had been through. Why wouldn't these people just leave him alone?

"Yes, sweetheart, not yep. And I know, but don't worry. You're safe. They are never going to take you away from me. You stay here and finish your ice cream with Jason. Simon and I will go sort everything out." Zack and Simon both kissed her on the cheek before Zack put her back in the chair at the table. Hayley immediately picked up her spoon and dug it back into her rapidly melting ice cream.

"Would you mind keeping an eye on her?" Zack asked Jason.

"No worries. She's safe here." Zack nodded. Simon took his hand and squeezed it before leading them through the house to the front door. Rick was currently blocking their paths but Zack could clearly hear the filth coming from both Valerie and Howard as they tried to gain entrance to the house.

"Rick, would you, please, be so kind as to go and get Marcus. I know Brian's sick but we might need him." Simon asked from next to him.

Rick nodded then growled once at the couple on the doorstep. Both Valerie and Howard took a step back at the animalistic sound coming from the man in front of them. With a satisfied smile, Rick turned and left to go get Marcus.

"What are you doing here, Howard, Valerie? We've been through this and the courts gave me full custody."

"The courts were wrong. You're a disgusting pervert and you don't deserve to have a child." Valerie sneered at him. Simon snarled and took a menacing step forward. Zack caught his wrist to stop him from going too far. The Stewarts took yet another step backwards.

"Just let us take Hayley and you'll never see us again." Howard added.

"Hayley is my daughter and you have no right to try and take her from me. If you even try to, I will have you arrested."

"Just try it. No one would believe a filthy homo like you anyway."

"I would." Marcus said from behind Zack.

"And who the bloody hell are you? Another homo?" Valerie asked.

"I am Police Inspector Marcus Holland." Marcus answered as he showed them his badge. "And I suggest you get back in your car and leave before I arrest you both for trespassing, attempted kidnapping, breaching a court order and anything else I can think of. Oh and, yes, I am also gay." Marcus smiled at the pair.

Zack could just kiss him, but thought now might not be the best time.

"You can't do that." Howard said, sounding a lot more confident than he looked.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I can. And I will do it, with pleasure, if you so much as come anywhere near this town again. I suggest you folks get back in your car and go home and forget all about Zack and Hayley. If you don't, I will come down on you like a tonne of bricks and make sure you both serve time in prison."

Simon had moved up during Marcus's speech until the brothers were standing next to one another, arms crossed over their chests, looking very intimidating. Zack noticed another car pull up to the curb and wondered who else was coming to join the party.

"You haven't heard the last from us, Zack." Valerie said as she pulled on Howard's arm.

"Yes, he has, unless you really have a hankering for prison life."

Joe and Maryanne had made their way up the path to the front door by this time.

"Where's our little girl?" Maryanne was just about bubbling over with excitement at getting to see Hayley again and Zack couldn't help but break out in a smile.

"She's in the kitchen stuffing her face with ice cream at the moment." Simon replied.

Valerie and Howard stopped in their retreat to face Joe and Maryanne. "Don't tell me you're okay with that sick homo raising an innocent child!" Maryanne sucked in a breath at the hateful words. Joe however didn't ever bat an eyelid. He simply cocked his fist back and let fly. Right into Howard's nose. Howard screamed like a girl and crumpled to the ground.

"You watch how you talk about my son." Joe scowled, looking down at the simpering figure Howard made on the ground. Zack was nearly gleeful. He wanted to jump up and down and clap his hands at the same time. He could hear a little snicker escape from one of the men standing next to him but wasn't sure which as they had both schooled their features quickly.

"Zack's not your son. His parents are dead." Valerie practically screamed at Joe as she tried to help Howard up off the ground.

"He's as good as. Now if you don't mind, I have a grandbaby to go and spoil." Maryanne said before she turned her back on the pair and walked up to the men standing in front of the door.

Zack didn't know what to say. He simply stepped forward and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you." He whispered in her ear.

Maryanne patted his cheek a couple of times before she spoke. "You're family now, Zack. That's all there is to it." Zack nodded and let her into the house.

"Officer, that's assault, I want to press charges." Howard was once again on his feet, his face dripping with blood. Zack wondered if Joe had broken his nose or not.

"Sorry," Marcus said. "I'm not sure what you're talking about. I didn't see a thing. Did you Simon, Zack?"

"Nope, sorry." Simon said. "I must have been looking the other way."

"No, I was more interested in watching the grass grow." Zack added.

Marcus laughed before turning back to the couple on their lawn. "I suggest you leave now." He then turned and walked into the house followed by Joe, Simon and Zack.

Zack closed the door behind him and leant back against the hard wood closing his eyes. God, he hoped this was over now. Zack opened his eyes as he felt a hand come down on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, Zack. I think they got the message, and if not, if they as much as sneeze your way, I will do as I said and arrest the pair of them. Now excuse me, I have a sick mate to get back to."

"How is Brian?"

"A little better than this morning but he's still feeling quite nauseous. I just wish I knew what was causing it."

"Thanks for all your help. And try not to worry too much. I'm sure Brian is going to be fine." Marcus nodded before turning and making his way up the stairs.

Zack made his way through the house to the kitchen where his new family awaited him.

Chapter 9

Simon rolled over as the sun streamed through their bedroom window. He had just the right way to wake his mate this morning and, reaching into the bedside table drawer, searched until he came up with what he wanted.

Pulling the lube out, he quietly opened the bottle before rolling back to his side and snuggling up against Zack's back. Simon gently moved his hand under the sheets and manoeuvred his mate's top leg forward, opening Zack's hole to his questing fingers. Pouring slick on his hand, Simon quickly applied the liquid to his straining erection before rubbing his fingers over Zack's hole.

Simon pushed two fingers deep into Zack's warm welcoming body, finding him still stretched from their previous night's lovemaking. Simon quickly added a third finger and, after he was satisfied he wouldn't hurt Zack, he removed his fingers and lined his cock up.

Slowly pushing forward, his cockhead breached the ring of muscles and he stilled, allowing Zack's body to get used to him. Zack moaned and pushed back against him until Simon was seated fully, his balls resting against Zack's ass cheeks.
"Hmmm, Morning, baby, feels good."

"I love the ways you wake me up."
Zack said sleepily. Simon chuckled. They had been living together for two weeks now. So far Simon had woken Zack with a blow job, by rimming him, he had even, one morning, tied Zack's hands to the bed with his silk ties and run a feather over his entire body driving him crazy, finally making slow love to him.

Simon looked forward to thinking up new and exciting ways to continue to wake his mate for the rest of their lives, but for now he was going to enjoy what he had started. Simon slowly pulled out until just the head of his dick was held in place before slamming forward again.

Zack grunted and moaned and pushed back again for more. Simon set up a steady pace and reached around Zack to wrap his hand around to his mate's hard leaking cock. It only took three strokes before Zack was turning his head and biting the pillow to stop from screaming and ropes of cum shot from his cock.

The feeling of Zack's muscles contracting and clamping down on his cock was enough for Simon; he leant forward and sank his canines into Zack's neck, then followed his mate into orgasmic bliss. Simon continued to stroke Zack as the knot extended and clamped onto his prostate. Zack screamed into the pillow once again as his body erupted for the second time before going limp beneath Simon.

Pulling away, Simon licked the mark he had made and pulled Zack close as they waited for the knot to recede. The last two weeks had been the happiest of Simon's life. Zack and Hayley had officially moved in. They'd turned the spare room into a room any little girl would be proud of. Simon was right and there was pink everywhere, but the colour didn't bother him as long as Hayley was happy. Zack had started his job at the school and so far seemed to be enjoying it.

Feeling the knot give way, Simon kissed Zack's cheek before popping him on the ass.

"Come on, lazy bones, shower time. You can't spend all day in bed."

Zack grunted before he rolled over and reluctantly followed Simon into the bathroom. After a quick shower and shave, they got dressed and joined the rest of the family for breakfast.

Hayley was already up and at the table having her morning vegemite on toast. Looking around, he noticed Marcus and Brian were missing. They hadn't found out what was wrong with Brian, he was still having trouble keeping some foods down. Marcus was trying to top him up with Gatorade in order to get some electrolytes into him but even they seemed to come up eventually. Alex mentioned it to the pack last night at the full moon gathering. They were hoping someone might know what was going on.

By mid-morning everyone but Marcus and Brian were gathered in the lounge room. Hayley was lying on the floor colouring in one of the books Simon's mum had gotten for her when the doorbell rang.

Rick went to answer and a few minutes later he walked back into the room followed by a couple who Simon recognised as pack members. Tegan was carrying a small baby, who couldn't be more than a couple of months old if that. They stopped and bowed their heads in submission.

"Alpha, sorry to interrupt your Sunday at home." Alex got up from where he was sitting before walking over to them and acknowledging their respect to his position.

"That's okay, Mitchell, Tegan. You're not interrupting anything more exciting than the television. How can we help you?"

Tegan looked at Mitchell then nodded. "Umm. We might know what's wrong with Brian." Mitchell stated quietly. Everyone in the room seemed to sit up straight at that.

"I think I'll go see if Marcus and Brian can join us." Rick, who was still standing with Mitchell and Tegan, headed out of the room.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Alex offered them the couch where he and Jason had been sitting. Alex sat back down in one of the recliners and Jason took up position on his lap. Once everyone seemed to be settled, a quiet descended on the room as they waited for the others to join them.

Less than five minutes later Rick walked in and took a seat on the couch with Zack and Simon. He was followed by Marcus who was carrying a very pale looking Brian in his arms. They settled in the other recliner and all eyes once again turned to the visitors.

"Boy or girl?" Zack broke the silence from beside Simon.

Mitchell had a sad smile on his face as he looked down at the little baby held in his mate's arms. "Boy, Lucas James, named after his fathers."

"Fathers, as in plural?" Alex asked in confusion.

"Yes, my brother, Lucas, and his mate, James. They were killed four weeks ago when their Alpha found out James had given birth to this little one here."

Simon did a double-take at that. Looking around the room, everyone else seemed to be in the same state of shock that he was. Both Alex and Jason had their mouths hanging open.

"Umm. Excuse me?" Brian squeaked, his voice not hiding his astonishment and fear at what he had just heard. "Did you just say
James
gave birth?"

Mitchell nodded. "As there aren't many gay werewolves, I guess it's not a widely known fact. We certainly didn't know anything about this until I got the call from Lucas to let us know what was going on. Unfortunately, that's all I know. But I reckon if you went to the shops and got a pregnancy test, it would come back positive."

Brian seemed to take all of this in before he looked down at his belly. He gently laid a hand on his stomach and started to cry. Marcus placed his hand over Brian's and kissed him on the forehead, pulling him close. Simon could see silent tears make their way down Marcus's cheeks too.

"Thank you for coming and telling us. I don't have to tell you to please keep this news to yourselves for the time being." Alex spoke quietly into the room.

"Not at all, Alpha, we'll leave you and your family to get used to the news. Sorry we couldn't have been more help." Mitchell and Tegan stood, ready to leave.

"You've been more than helpful. Thank you once again and we're sorry for your loss." They nodded and Rick showed them out the door before coming back.

"Well, that was unexpected." Simon couldn't help but laugh at Jason's comment. It was the understatement of the century if you asked him.

"You know, we're all here for you if you need us, Brian, Marcus." Alex said.

"Thanks. If you don't mind, I think I'll take Brian back to bed so he can rest." Alex nodded his acceptance and Marcus stood, still holding his mate in his arms and walked out the door.